A study investigated what is done with reading in kindergarten, specifically: (1) what is done and for what amount of time to prepare kindergartners for reading and to teach them to read; (2) what accounts for what is or is not done; and (3) how differences in children's abilities affect what is or is not done. Forty-two kindergarten classes from 15 Illinois school systems were selected and observed. Interviews were also held with kindergarten teachers and their principals. With teacher behavior as the focus, it was estimated that 21.6% of the 233 hours spent in classrooms was used for reading and reading-related activities. Results showed that phonics instruction was most apparent because what was taught came directly from workbooks that were supplemented with ditto-sheet exercises; and the subject matter in the workbooks was reflected not only in items on report cards but also in first-grade teachers' expectations for entering first graders. Differences in kindergartners' abilities had minimal effects on the content of instruction, despite the fact that interest in identifying differences was the reason cited for the use of Gesell-like developmental tests. The possibility that reliance on one methodology and whole class instruction may have combined to make some kindergartners appear to be "unready" was never referred to by either teachers or principals. Both the teachers and principals were interested in having transitional first grades to help kindergarten. (Four data tables and 28 references are attached.) (JK)